Doncaster teenager’s tidy campaign for Borneo funds

A teenager on a mission to clean up Doncaster has launched her bid to rid the town of plastic waste with support from a TV legend.

Year 11 student, Charlie Savage, 16, of Chestnut Court, Bentley, has not only received backing from many in the town, but has also received a handwritten letter signed by Sir David Attenborough wishing her well on a project that is close to his heart.

Charlie’s mum, Naomi Gaskell, said her daughter’s clean-up campaign was two-fold, as she was keen to clean up the community around her and also to raise vital funds for her planned four-week trip to Borneo, organised through Camps International.

Naomi said: “Charlie has already begun her mission by strolling the River Don and the neighbouring businesses of Kirk Sandall Industrial Estate collecting bottles and bags before they find their way into our waterways destroying wildlife and nature. Local businesses are being and have been approached to back Charlie.”

She added: “Jewson’s have donated one of their large building sacks, which will be continuously reused to collect all waste. Yorkshire Wildlife Park has also been made aware of the project and she also has a handwritten letter from Sir David Attenborough. In July 2019, Charlie, along with a few other students will travel more than 7,000 miles to Borneo (through Camps International) where they’ll spend four weeks taking part in the build of a school and all amenities to go with it – desks and access via a bridge. In addition to building they will take part in reforestation whereby they plant trees that will help biodiversity to be protected, creating a reduction in carbon dioxide therefore making global warming less of an issue. This trip will be paid for through fundraising activities at a total cost of £4,300. The ‘clean up’ is Charlie’s way of giving back to her local community.”

Anyone wanting to sponsor Charlie can visit the www.gofundme.com/clean-up-for-Borneo-2019 website, where they can also find out more about Charlie’s fundraising mission.